Revelation and Divination in Ndembu Ritual by Victor Turner

The combination of such symbols creates an multi-referential dialectic that Turner presents as operating on two levels: firstly, on a subjective level (where symbolism aids in the cognition of ritual power) and secondly, on a collective level (where meta-symbolism merges to evoke emotional sentiment and social cohesion). To begin with, he characterises all ritual symbols as possessing a “polysemous” or multi-referential character (171). In order to clarify the specific characteristics of divinatory symoblism, he first draws up a theoretical framework within which to address the lattice-like structure of ritual symbolism.

In ‘Ndembu Divination: Its Symbolism and Techniques’ Turner attempts to draft a theoretical framework capable of addressing the nature of Ndembu divinatory symbolism, which he sees as being somewhat different from the symbolism expressed in ‘proper’ or mundande ritual practices. With this in mind, I am limiting my discussion to the text’s second section, ‘Ndembu Divination: Its Symbolism and Techniques’ and Turner’s analysis of ritual symbolism. 1 As I am interested in Turner’s theoretical understanding of cleromantic practices, particularly in his analysis of Ndembu ng’ombu yakusekula (basket divination), the following comments will focus narrowly upon Revelation and Divination‘s characterization of divination rather than that of revelation. Taken together, the general theme of Revelation and Divination addresses the Ndembu tribe of North-West Zambia and its practice of kusolola, “making visible,” which characterizes two separate methods of uncovering hidden phenomena: divination and revelation (15). The text itself is essentially the publication of two lengthy essays, neither of which is readily available in its original form. Today I would like to discuss some of the theoretical work drafted by Victor Turner in Revelation and Divination in Ndembu Ritual (Cornell University Press, 1975).

Revelation and Divination in Ndembu Ritual by Victor Turner